Mail-box.



No. 808,872. PATENTBD JAN. 2, 1 906. E. M. RAYMOND & W. S. STOUGHTON.

MAIL BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.14, 1905.

wi cmaooco Qdw'm M. sigLQQi V QM M m WW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN M. RAYMOND AND WVILLIAM S. STOUGHTON, OF GRAND RAPIDS,

MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BOX- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1906.

To wZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWIN M. RAYMOND and WILLIAM S. STOUGHTON, citizens of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in mail-boxes; and its object is to provide a cheap and eiflcient device havingvarious new and useful features hereinafter more fully de scribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a device eIn bodying our invention; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 3 an inverted plan view of the same.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the figures.

l is a truncated-pyramid-shaped case made, preferably, of sheet metal and of any convenient dimensions, open at the bottom and adapted to shed rain and to protect the contents therefor. This case is pivotally mounted on a suitable stud 2, located above the center of gravity of the case and journaled in any suitable support 3, which in this instance represents a post; but the same may be the side of a building or any other convenient support. By means of this pivot the case will normally assume the vertical position Withits open side downward and can be readily turned on this pivot to any convenient position for inserting mail-matter within the same.

On the top of the case are mounted two springs 5, spaced apart, and opposite the space therebetween is another opposing spring 6. These opposing springs extend toward each other and engage near their upper ends any article placed therebetween, whereby the same will be securely held by said springs. The upper portion of the springs are oppositely curved to readily permit the insertion therebetween of any outgoing mailmatter, as occaslon requlres.

Near the open lower end of the case is a transverse brace 4, connecting the front and the rear of the case and at one side of the center thereof, whereby the loweropening is divided into two unequal parts. Suitable clamping-springs are extended upward above these openings, the single spring being secured to the brace 4 near its middle and extending upward and diverging therefrom, as at 7 and 7 and to the respective sides of the case. Near the lower edge thereof and extending diagonally inward and upward are the opposing springs 8 and 9 at each side of the springs 7 and 7 whereby clampingsprings are provided above each part of the lower opening to engage and hold any mailmatter that may be inserted therebetween, it being intended to insert letters and smaller articles in the smaller side and papers and larger articles in the larger side.

The device will thus securely hold and protect any mail-matter inserted therein and at the same time will be freely rotative on the pivot 2 for either inserting or removing the same and will automatically assume the vertical position when released. The case being entirely closed at the top and sides and only open at the bottom will effectually shed rain and protect the contents and is at the same time very simply and cheaply constructed.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mail-box consisting of a case closed at the top and sides and open at the bottom, retaining-springs within the case to hold mailmatter inserted therein, and a pivotal support for the case located above the center of gravity of the case, upon which support the case is freely rotative.

2. A mail-box comprising a case having the form of a truncated pyramid and open at the bottom, a pivotal support for the case located above the center of gravity of the case upon which support the case is freely rotative, retaining-springs mounted on the top of the case, and retaining-springs in the lower part of the case.

3, A mail-box consisting of a truncated conical case open at the bottom, a pivot-sup port for the case located above the center of In testimony whereof we affiX our signagravlty of the case, a brace extending across tures in presence of two Witnesses.

the lower part of the case, diverging springs EDWIN M. RAYMOND. attached to the brace and extending upward WILLIAM S. STOUGHTON.

5 within the case; and, opposing springs at- Witnesses:

tached to the sides of the case and extending LUTHER V. MoULToN,

toward the first-named springs. GEORGIANA CHAcE. 

